Phonograph



Dec. 24, 1935. E. c. MUELLER 2,025,300

- PHONOGRAPH- V Original Filed Nov. 9, 1951 gfiWm I Ilm 6 nuunmun m I di wenzor mm" 5' 1777a! CZ, Mueer Patented Dec-i, 24, 1935 PHONOGRAPH Emil C. Mueller, Chicago, Ill., assignor to The John Gabel Manufacturing Company, Chicago, I.ll., a corporation of Illinois Original application November 9, 1931, Serial No.

Divided and this application Decembe! 26, 1931, Serial No. 583,318

4 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in phonographs and more particularly to an improved construction of means for supporting the sound box or pick-up device which receives impressions from a record.

The main object of the invention is to provide an arrangement for supporting ,a sound box or pick-up in such a manner that, the device will be maintained in substantially constant relation,

throughout its travel across the face of a record, to the record groove with which it cooperates. Another object is to provide a comparatively simple supporting means of the class above described which will not add materially to the cost of constructing a. phonograph and which will not materially effect the freedom of movement of the device as an incident to its cooperation with a record. Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood by reference to the following specification and accompanying drawing in which a portion of a phonograph including pick-up supporting mechanism of the type above referred to is shown.

This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 573,738, filed November 9,

In the drawing:-

Figs. 1 and 2 are fragmentary plans and Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawing, I have indicated a turntable 5 on which a record 6 of the ordinary flat disk type is positioned.

A pick-up I for the electrical reproduction of the record 6 is provided with a needle or stylus 8 which engages the sound groove of the record. The needle 8 may be of any suitable or preferred type and in this instance I have illustrated it as being a form of needle having a chisel point 9 which presents an elongated sharp edge to fit the record groove. This type of needle has been developed to provide a. so-called permanent needle, i. e. one which is capable of playing a very large number of records. This form of needle, because of its elongated edge, requires that the pick-up member be so supported that the needle will not turn on its own axis in order that cutting action and consequent damage tothe record be avoided.

For maintaining the pick-up l with its needle 8 in substantially constant position relative to the record groove with which it cooperates, the pick-up is provided with an extension or arm Ill, which in this instance is illustrated as being an independent member secured to the pick-up device by means of a screw I I. The arm I0 is pivoted intermediate its ends as indicated at I2 to the free end of amain supporting arm I3, which arm is mounted for swinging movement about horizontal and vertical axes at its opposite end. The arm I3 is mounted in a frame portion It the said frame portion being provided with a 5 bearing boss I5 which is suitably bored out to rotatably receive a pivot pin I6. The upper end of the pivot pin I6 is provided with a head I! which carries an axially horizontal pivot pin I8. The arm I3 is provided with a depending lug or ear 10 portion I9 suitably apertured to receive the pivot pin I8. Any desired provision may be made for maintaining the parts in the assembled relation described, and itwill be seen that the arm I3 may swing horizontally about the axis of the pivot pin 15 I1 and vertically about the axis of the pivot pin l8.

For controlling the adjustment of the pick-up 'I about the axis of the pivot pin I2, a lever 20 is pivoted intermediate its ends as indicated at 2| 20 to a boss 22 which depends from the bottom side of the arm I3. One end of the lever 20 is slotted as indicated at 23 to receive a pin 24 which depends from the free end of thearm Ill. The other end of the lever 20 is slotted as indicated at 25 to 25 receive a pin 26 which is secured in fixed position in a part 21 formed integrally with the frame element I4.

In Fig. 1, the starting position of the pick-up relative to the-record is shown. The needle or 30 stylus 8 is then in engagement with the outer end of the record groove. The pick-up device is then disposed in such a position that the-elongated edge of the needle is on a tangent to the record groove at the point, then engaged by the needle. As an incident to the rotation of the record, the pick-up and needle are cause-d to travel inwardly across the face of the record, and it will be seen that such travel is permitted by reason of the horizontal swinging ability of the main supporting arm I3. However, as an incident to horizontal swinging movement of the arm I3, the lever 20 is also caused to swing on its pivot 2| by reason of its engagement at one end with the 5 fixed pin 26. The opposite end of the lever 20 serves to impart, independent swinging movement of the pick-up on its pivot I2, in a direction reverse to that of the arm I3, with the result that the pick-up and its needle are maintained in sub- 50 stantially constant relation to the record groove.

Vertical swinging movement of the pick-up is permitted about the axis of the pivot I8 so that the pick-up may be lifted from the inner end of the record groove either automatically or me- 55 chanically and swung back to its initial position as illustrated in Fig. 1.

In the case of a pick-up for the electrical reproduction of records, the arm l3 may be suitably drilled or hollowed out to constitute a conduit for the necessary conductor 28, and in the case of a sound box wherein the vibrations of the record groove are mechanically reproduced, the arm I! may be in the formof a tone arm in accordance with more or less conventional'prac tice, suitable provisions being made for adjustably connecting the sound box and tone arm.

Changes in the above described construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, the .scope of which should be determined by reference to the following claimathe same being construed as broadly as possible consistent with the state of the art. claims I have used theterms pick-up and reproducer in a broad sense, to include both a mechanical and electrical reproducer.

I claim as my invention:-

1. In a phonograph having a turntable, a pickup having means for engaging the soundgroove of a record carried by turntable, means for m'ou'nting said pick-up so as to maintain the same in substantially constant, predetermined relation to the tangent of a record sound-groove during the normal travel of the pick-up across the face of the record, said means comprising a supporting arm pivotally mounted at one end for horizontal swinging movement, an arm secured at one end to said pick-up, projecting therefrom and pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the free end of said supporting arm, a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said supporting arm and In the following having one end pivotally connected to the free end of said pick-up arm, and means engaging the other end of said lever for effecting swinging movement of said lever as an incident to the swinging movement of said supporting arm. 5 2. In a phonograph having a record holder, an arm mounted at its outer end to swing horizontally and vertically above the record holder, a reproducer vertically pivoted on the inner free end of said arm, a lever pivotally mounted on the supporting arm to move vertically and horizontally therewith and having a pivotal connection with the reproducer, and means engaging the lever to position the reproducer during the movement of the supporting arm. 3. In a phonograph having a record holder, an arm mounted at its outer end to swing horizontally and vertically above the record holder, a reproducer vertically pivoted on the inner free end of said arm, a lever pivotally mounted on the supporting arm and having a pin and slot connection with the reproducer, and a stationary element having a pin and slot connectionwith the lever, adapted to permit the vertical movement of the lever with the reproducer supporting arm. 4. In a phonograph having a turntable, an arm mounted for horizontal movement above the turntable, a pick-up adjustably mounted on said arm, a lever pivotally mounted, intermediate its ends on said arm, a connection between said lever and said pick-up, and means cooperating with said lever to maintain said pick-up, throughout its travel across the record, in approximately constant, predetermined relation to the record sound groove.

EMIL C. MUELLER. 

